For purposes of the present disclosure, the phrase “composite floor system” refers to a system that encompasses the use of multiple materials in the construction process of a floor system. Composite floor systems are designed to allow transfer of shear forces between the component parts of the deck and the supporting floor joists. Many composite floor systems combine wood, concrete and/or metals (e.g., steel).
Composite floor systems are commonly used in the construction of low-rise multifamily housing, commercial, mixed use developments and/or hospitality projects. Composite floor systems are designed to allow the component parts to act in conjunction with each other to increase the load capacity of the system and reduce the total deflection under load. Concrete-steel composite floor systems are preferred in construction projects, particularly where wood is scarce. However, the abundance of wood in North America has made wood the traditional floor material in both the United States and Canada.
Non-composite floor systems may require an increase in material and size to provide the same load carrying capacity as is delivered by a composite floor system. Due to this increased strength relative to non-composite floor systems, composite floor systems are frequently utilized in areas subject to heavy floor loads and where significant unanticipated forces may be encountered, for example, areas prone to natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes) and military installations.
Current building technology includes many configurations for conventional composite floor systems. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 depict views of non-composite floor systems. FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a non-composite floor system which includes a decking material “D” and fasteners “F”. FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional side view of a non-composite floor system which includes the decking material “D”, a reinforcing member “R”, a slab “S”, and a beam “B”.
Traditional composite floor systems require decking which is often limited to one particular type. Further, many currently available floor systems use discontinuous slabs of concrete due to design constraints. In addition, traditional composite floor systems generally require use of significant temporary formwork. In some instances, traditional composite floors may use complicated shear connectors to foster composite action from the component parts of the composite floor. These complicated shear connectors increase cost and may significantly affect installation requirements and time, which in turn translates into higher construction costs per square foot of installed floor.
The presently disclosed novel apparatus and method of use offer the advantages present in traditional composite flooring systems/techniques, but eliminate the associated disadvantages.